Beneath a Burning Sky
by Gronzen
Summary: The Courier was born, and died, beneath the sky of a poisoned world. How will he fare in a world nothing like his own?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**

 **Infinite Stratos is owned by Izuru Yumizuru**

 **Fallout: New Vegas is owned by Bethesda**

* * *

 _What is Luck?_

 _That is the question everyone asks when they see my Pip-Boy. But it's not the one they_ _ **should**_ _be asking._

 _Why am I so lucky?_

 _How is Luck measured?_

… _And what happens when you go over Luck's limit?_

* * *

Something tugged on his arm, and his eyes snapped open.

"Oh goodie, you're awake!"

He turned to see a woman with long pink hair, purple eyes, and metal antennae on her head smiling down at him. She had his Pip-Boy attached to a terminal through several wires, and he could see a pile of broken tools beside it. He tore his arm away and leapt out of the bed he was in. A flick of the wrist and a plasma pistol was in his hand and pointed at the woman-

"Oooh, what's that!? Is it a laser? Where were you keeping it? Was it-"

As the woman rambles on he takes notice of the green bar in the corner of his eye and lowers his pistol _slightly_.

"Where am I?" He cuts her off, and she smiles as if nothing is wrong.

"You're aboard the personal submarine of the one, the only, Tabane the genius." She strikes a pose, hands making two peace signs one either side of her face. The word 'genius' causes him to bring his pistol back up.

"Now, now, no need for-"

"The ones I meet that call themselves 'genius' are usually the ones that either attempt to manipulate me or horrifically experiment on me. This. Is. Needed."

"Why would anyone hurt such a cute little thing like you?"

He frowns, but before he opens his mouth to retort he realizes how much _larger_ everything is than normal. For a moment he almost calls it impossible, but knows better by now and brings up his status. Then his world map. And finally, his radio. He stares at his Pip-Boy for several minutes before sighing and sliding down the wall into a sitting position.

"...Plasma."

"Hmm?"

"It's a plasma pistol. I'll answer the rest of your questions if you answer mine."

"Okie Dokie!"

With that they spend at least an hour trading questions and answers. She tells him about her world, Japan, and how she found him. He tells her of his world, the Mojave, and his death.

"…ED-E sacrificed himself to stop the nukes. Ulysses escaped the blast. I did not. My best guess is the transportalponder somehow sent me here before I could die."

Suddenly Tabane leapt, and he quickly brought up V.A.T.S. She still appeared non-hostile, and he couldn't see a weapon in either hand, hidden or otherwise. He stared at her for a moment before allowing time to resume, and to his shock he found himself being hugged.

"You poor thing! Don't worry, I'll make _sure_ you live a happy life this time around!"

It took his mind a moment to register what she said, "…Ms. Shinonono, I am not a child, I will be fine on my own." While he was grateful to the woman, there was no way he would trust someone he just met, especially while trapped in a vehicle he had no way of escaping.

"But you are a child! In fact…" She ran up to the terminal and began rapidly typing. She printed out a stack of papers and held it up with a triumphant smile, "You're _my_ child!"

He carefully reached for his plasma pistol. Grateful or not, this was-

"Please…"

He paused. Her smile was still there, but her voice held a tone of something he couldn't recognize.

"I know you're scared. But this isn't the wasteland. You're safe here."

…Safety was a lie in the Mojave. NCR killed you with taxes and incompetence, Legion killed you with crucifixion and labor, and the Strip killed you with chems, liquor, and debt. And that's if the desert doesn't end you first… But if what she said was true, this wasn't even the same world. None of the problems that plagued his home existed here.

And she was right. That _terrified_ him.

Ulysses said it best: he was a force of nature, like the desert itself. Good, evil, or somewhere in-between, he would always thrive in the wasteland. But there was no wasteland here. There was no reason for him to exist. The Courier…

…No. The Courier walked his road. And he disappeared at the Divide. This was _his_ road, and it started now.

"…Ms. Shinonono, I… will remain here." He found himself crushed in another hug as soon as he finished.

"I'll be the best mother ever! I'll tell you bedtime stories, we can-"

As his mother rambled on, he looked down at his Pip-Boy and felt his lips twitch upward.

 **Perk Unlocked: Just Lucky I'm Alive**

* * *

Chifuyu locked the door behind her, making sure the blinds were all closed before activating her video call. It was rare for Tabane to be the one contacting _her_ , so it must've been important. She let the call through, and prepared for the worse.

"Congrats, Chi-chan! You're a godmother!"

"…WHAT!?"

* * *

 **AN: This fic spawned off the fact I could get up to 15 Luck in New Vegas. More explained next chapter, which will be soon…ish.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**

 **Infinite Stratos is owned by Izuru Yumizuru**

 **Fallout: New Vegas is owned by Bethesda**

* * *

Lakes were sparse in the Mojave. Lakes that weren't irradiated even more so. When he arrived at Lake Mead, he had almost cried. So much water in one area, something he'd never thought he'd see again.

Yet here he was, looking out the porthole of a submarine in the middle of an _ocean._

He smiled slightly as a particularly brightly-colored fish passed by. Constant sources of fresh food and water, pre-war commodities in abundance, and an almost impossible to assault living area. Countless people in the Mojave would literally kill to be where he was right now.

All it cost _him_ was-

His smile disappeared as he looked at his reflection in the porthole. The Courier's hair was a dark blonde, its luster gone from dust and war. His eyes were two cold, almost lifeless orbs of blue. His skin was tanned from the Mojave sun, riddled with scars and pockmarks, his figure best described as 'emaciated'.

His own light-blonde hair practically shone in the light. His deep blue eyes, while having a hard edge to them, had a sort of spark in them as well. His skin was pale, barely touched by the sun, and his figure was perfectly average, maybe even a little soft. Yes, there were many differences between him and the Courier.

…Yet there was one thing that tied them together.

He reached up and rubbed and the scars in the middle of his forehead. When he had first started living with Tabane five years ago, they had made a guess as to why he was now a child. The most likely scenario was that his monocyte breeder implant was somehow affected by both the radiation from the Divide and the transportalponder, going into overdrive to repair the damage done to him and reducing him to his current state. So why did _this_ scar, out of all of them, remain? Tabane said they would have to take samples to learn more, but she understood his… _aversion_ to such things.

Speaking of…

He threw a cap he had in his pocket to his left.

"Ow! Aw, I thought I had you that time!"

He looked to his side, towards a seemingly empty hallway, "The Stealth-Boy makes you invisible, mother. It does not silence you."

Though, not to say she didn't try to make them do so. She was already trying to replicate the stealth field to cover the submarine, so why not go all the way?

She giggled as she suddenly appeared, "So, whatcha thinking about?"

He shook his head, "Nothing important, mother. I assume it's lunch time?"

She nodded, and they started walking towards the dining room. After a few minutes of silence Tabane spoke up, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

He smiled as he looked up at her, "I know."

That doesn't mean he _will_.

* * *

He took another dumpling between his chopsticks, but put it down with a sigh. He looked towards Tabane, who was fidgeting like an excited child, "I take it you have something to say?"

Her ever-present smile grew, "Well, I was talking with Chi-chan about how things were going with the Academy…"

"My answer has not changed, mother." He said sternly. They had this conversation several times before, and it always ended him with him saying no. He would not- what was she doing? Her bottom lip was quivering, her robotic rabbit ears drooping low. He could see tears pooling in her eyes, and he was by her side in an instant.

"I'm sorry. I just thought it would be good for you." Her voice quivered.

He cursed himself internally. Of course she would just be trying to help. He warred with himself for a moment, "…Mother, I… would be willing to go for a time."

She sniffed, "How long?"

He winced, "I am unsure. Six months, perhaps? If I," he struggled to get the words out, "enjoy it, I will remain…"

She hugged him, and as he hugged her back he missed her victorious grin…

* * *

 **ONE YEAR LATER**

He looked over the inventory of his Pip-Boy, and when he found what he was looking for he pressed down on the screen. He blinked, and he was now in his school uniform. He looked himself over before nodding and heading out the door. Today would be his first day at the IS Academy.

It would also technically be his first day of school, but that wasn't as important.

He made his way to the teleportation room. It was a sort of family project for them. Tabane had studied the transportalponder (rather, the scraps of it that remained), and using their combined knowledge they had created a teleportation grid. The door to the room opened, and he was immediately pulled into a hug by his mother.

"Oh, I'm so excited! You get to meet your auntie, and Chi-chan, and Ikkun, and-"

He gave a pained smile as she started to ramble. He still didn't like going to the Academy, but perhaps meeting his extended 'family' would help lessen-

"Ready!" His mother's sudden shout brought him out of his thoughts, "Have fun!"

His vision was engulfed by blue light…

* * *

Chifuyu frowned as she waited at the gates to the Academy. Today was the day Tabane's son joined.

Her son…

When the mad scientist had first called her, she had prayed she hadn't cloned herself. The world was _not_ ready to handle another Tabane.

Given the state of the boy she introduced, a clone may have been preferable.

He was clearly underfed, not emaciated, but still unhealthily thin. Then there were the two clear bullet scars on his forehead. They wouldn't tell her how they met, and she had decided not to pry. Crazy or not, Tabane's plans had a way of working out for the best. Now where was-

A blue flash blinded her for a moment, and as she blinked away the spots in her vision she could make someone out. Blonde hair, blue eyes…

"Hideyoshi?" She blinked, and she could finally see him properly.

"Apologies, Orimura-sensei," he bowed at the waist, "It would appear mother was a bit impatient."

"…It's fine. Come on, I'll show you to your class." He stood up from the bow and they started walking. That was another thing that confused her about the situation. You'd think that anyone raised by Tabane would wind up being as… _eccentric_ as her, yet he rarely raised his voice, usually keeping to himself.

' _Opposites attract, I suppose.'_ She smiled, _'Maybe he managed to get her to be a bit more mature.'_

"…So," she decided to break the silence that had taken hold, "What made you change your mind about coming here? You seemed pretty adamant about not going to school, according to Tabane."

"…Not school, Orimura-sensei, just one that teaches combat," he sighed, "but, ultimately, I'm willing to have faith in mother's decision."

She smiled, "I remember a certain someone being suspicious of each of Tabane's steps three years ago."

His expression didn't change, but a bit of blush creeped onto his cheeks, "I… do not trust people easily."

"Well, maybe you'll see that it won't be so bad." She stopped, and she slid open the door they stopped-

"My name is Ichika Orimura!"

"…"

"…"

"…That's all!"

* * *

Hideyoshi blinked, and suddenly the girls looked like they had fallen out of their seats.

' _What… just happened?'_

The black haired boy, who he assumed was Ichika Orimura, looked around as Chifuyu approached him. Hideyoshi raised an eyebrow as she hit him on the top of his head. Ichika looked up, and a look of shock crossed his face.

"Sis!?"

He winced as Chifuyu hit him again.

"You will call me Miss Orimura at school." She looked towards Hideyoshi and nodded. He walked in, and turned to face the class. He let the girls whisper for a moment before bowing, and they went silent.

He rose back up, "Hello. My name is Hideyoshi Shinonono, age 15. I hope our time here goes well."

"WHAT!?"

He looked to the right, and saw his aunt Houki standing from her seat.

"Sit down, Shinonono!" Chifuyu shouted, and she looked at him before doing so. He took his seat behind Ichika, and breathed out a sigh.

If nothing else, today was going to be different.

* * *

The moment their first break came, his aunt had dragged both him and Ichika to the roof. He was barely through the doorway when she whipped around, her blue eyes boring into his own.

"Explain yourself, now!"

"Aunt Houki-"

"Do _not_ call me that!"

He raised a hand, " _Miss Shinonono_ , I was adopted by Tabane around five years ago-"

"Then why didn't she tell me!?"

"…Miss Shinonono, your sister has tried to contact you repeatedly, but you've never answered."

She opened her mouth, but she looked to the side and muttered something. He turned to Ichika and held his hand.

"Hello, Mr. Orimura. It's a pleasure to meet you. My mother seemed excited for us to meet."

The black haired boy smiled and shook his hand, "Well, I can't say I'm not happy to have another boy here."

"Don't just forget about me!" Houki shouted, and Ichika held up his hands.

"I could never forget about you, Houki. You're my childhood friend," She blushed, and he continued, "I remember, you even have the same haircut as back then."

She pulled a long lock of brown hair forward, and she ran a hand through it, "…You really remember everything, huh?"

Hideyoshi started making a note in his Pip-Boy, _'Both mother and Aunt Houki appear to have emotional issues. Mother maintains a near-constant state of joy, while Aunt Houki seems prone to sudden emotional change and is more inclined to respond with anger.'_

"Hey, what are you doing!? You better not be recording any of this!" Houki shouted, and he lowered his arm.

"I wasn't. I was merely noting something about both you and mother."

She frowned and looked away, "Don't compare me to her…"

The bell rang, and the three of them quietly made their way back to class.

* * *

Hideyoshi watched as Ichika read the brief notes he had given him during the break. He couldn't blame him for not reading the reference manual, honestly. The book was much too big to be read in the short amount of time Ichika had between discovering he was a pilot and coming to the school.

"Excuse me."

He looked to his left and saw a girl with ridiculously long blond hair and blue eyes looking down at him.

"Hello. May I help you?"

She smiled, "Well, aren't you a gentleman? It's good to know at least _one_ of you boys can act as befitting your station." She sent a look towards Ichika, whose red eyes were still scanning the notes.

"In his defense, Mr. Orimura was not given much time to study the material required, Miss Alcott."

The girl closed her eyes and crossed, "Oh, it seems my reputation precedes me."

Hideyoshi nodded, "Cecilia Alcott, Representative Candidate for England, and one of the few pilots who defeated their instructors."

"Yes, I-" her eyes opened, "Wait, I thought I was the _only_ one to defeat their instructor!?"

"Both Mr. Orimura and I defeated our instructors."

"W-what!? From you, I suppose it's _possible_ , but how could _he-"_ she pointed at Ichika, who seemed to realize they were talking about him, "ever do so!?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to ask Mr. Orimura that question."

They looked towards the boy in question, who scratched his cheek.

"I wouldn't exactly say I beat her. She charged me, I dodged, and she crashed into the wall."

"Are you mocking me!? I-" The bell rang, signaling the end of the recess period. Cecilia huffed as she walked back to her seat, "Do not think this is over."

Hideyoshi frowned as he faced the front once more. He would have to watch her more closely. He knew the cost of leaving weapons in the hands of people like her…

* * *

The rest of the day passed by without incident, and the two stealthily made their way to their room. Due to Hideyoshi's Pip-Boy they were able to avoid any girls on the way there (according to Ichika, it wouldn't be good if the girls found out which room was theirs). Ichika had decided to shower first, so Hideyoshi decided to check in with his mother. It was half missing her, half making sure she didn't touch his things. She seemed to have an obsession with trying to get him into ridiculous clothes. An amber hologram of her head appeared above the screen after a moment, smiling as she always did.

"Hiya, hiya, Hideyoshi-chan!"

"Hello, mother."

"Aw, you know you can just call me 'mama'!"

He tilted his head slightly, "What's the difference?"

"Oh, nothing," she looked to the side and mumbled something before looking back at him, "So, how was your first day of school?"

"I met Ichika, and he seems like a decent person. Aunt Houki was… not pleased with my appearance in her class."

"Oh, don't worry about her. She'll warm up to you soon enough, I just know it!"

He smiled, "Alright, mother. I just have two more questions. Firstly, have you tried to replace my clothes again?"

She gasped, "You really think I, your own mother, would violate your privacy-"

"Mother, I've woken up with you in my bed and in different clothes than I wore to sleep. At this point I question whether or not you know the definition of the word 'privacy'."

"…"

"…"

"…You would look so good in green!"

"Mother!"

"Oh, fine. Now, what was your other question?"

"The girls mentioned something called 'yaoi', and I'm not sure what it means."

She blinked, and her smile slowly split her face, "Well, when two boys love each other very much…"

He realized where she was going with this, "Oh, homosexuality."

There was a muffled 'WHAT!?' from the bathroom.

"Gotta go!" Tabane's face disappeared as Ichika ran out of the bathroom in his sleepwear.

"What in the world are you two talking about!?"

"Apparently, the girls believe we are in a relationship. Though I don't understand why, this is the first time we've met."

Ichika sighed in relief, "Oh, _that's_ what you meant… Well, girls are just weird like that."

"Hmm, I recall Mother saying that they were going to be akin to 'starving jackals'."

Ichika laughed nervously, "Well, considering some of the looks I was getting, that seems pretty accurate."

Hideyoshi hummed before going through his inventory. His sleep clothes appeared beside him, and Ichika smiled.

"Hey, how did you do that?"

Hideyoshi smiled and held out his arm, showing the slim, black-cased device on his forearm, "It's a modern version of a device I have called a 'Pip-Boy'. One of its functions is to store things in a similar way to an I.S.' closed form."

"Closed form… Oh, now I remember! Your notes said the I.S. could turn into gauntlets or rings, stuff like that."

Hideyoshi nodded, "Right. I'm hoping to find a way to mass produce them, or at the very least, create an even more advanced version."

Ichika nodded, then hummed, "Any chance you still have the old one? Even if it's not as advanced, it sounds pretty handy."

Hideyoshi's smile shrunk, "I'm… afraid the other one was given to me by someone close to me. Although I don't wear it now, it's special to me. I _do_ have another Pip-Boy in the works, however. I see no reason you can't have it."

"Thanks, Hideyoshi."

He nodded and headed into the shower. Soon enough the warm water was flowing over him, and he allowed his mind to wander.

...He didn't like being indebted to people. If he owed someone, he paid them back the same day or week. Doc Mitchell, however, had done more for him than he could ever repay, and he wasn't just talking about pulling the remnants of Benny's bullets from his head. A Pip-Boy wasn't just some trinket. It was one of the most advanced portable pieces of technology in the Mojave.

Hell, he'd almost robbed that idiot from the Happy Trails Caravan, and his Pip-Boy was _broken_ (He'd taken it from him after the caravan was killed, of course). Was it… was it _right_ for him to wear something else?

 **KNOCK-KNOCK**

"Hey, are you alright? You've been in there for a while."

"…I'm fine, Mr. Orimura. I'll be out in a moment."

"You know, you don't have to call me 'Mr. Orimura' all the time. Just 'Ichika' is fine."

He shut off the water and began drying off, "I'm not sure I know you well enough for that."

"Well, I don't mind staying up a little longer to get to know you better."

He was about to say no, but he thought about it for a moment. Tabane _did_ always speak about how well the two of them would get along.

He opened the door, clad in a black shirt and shorts, "Very well."

They sat on their beds and spent the next few minutes learning more about one another. He had to admit, it was… nice. It reminded him of talking with his old friends, but with Ichika there was a strange sense of... carefreeness, was the word. Though, given the difference between here and the Mojave, it made sense.

He desperately hoped it stayed that way.

* * *

After a tense breakfast with his Aunt (why were the girls whispering about wanting him and Ichika to feed each other?), they were sitting in class listening to Chifuyu describe the duties of the class representative. There was no way he was going to nominate himself. The Courier wasn't a leader, and neither was he. He-

"I nominate Orimura!"

"I nominate Hideyoshi!"

He frowned as the girls began arguing, while Ichika stood up, "Wait, what if I don't want to it!?"

 **SLAM**

"I do _not_ approve of this!" Cecilia was standing now as well, "Having a boy as class representative would be shameful! Living in a country with such an underdeveloped level of culture is already painful! To suffer through this humiliation for another year would be unbearable!"

"You're country doesn't exactly have that much to brag about either! How many times has England won the 'World's Worst Cuisine' award?" Ichika shot back.

Hideyoshi started typing on his Pip-Boy as the two traded barbs. Eventually, they noticed what he was doing.

"Um, Hideyoshi? What are you doing?" Ichika asked.

"Adjusting both your and Ms. Alcott's profiles."

"Profiles?"

"Yes. I had to note Ms. Alcott's sexism and racism, as well as your reaction."

"What!? I-I am not racist!"

He paused, "…I suppose bigotry is the correct term then. Though I note you did not refute the claim of sexism."

She seemed to gain a bit of confidence, "I am _not_ a bigot, and the fact remains that women _are_ superior to men. After all, are the majority of I.S. pilots not female?"

"That assumption is… both incorrect, and correct," the girls began whispering, "The fact that only females can be pilots is an unintended side effect, rather than a pre-programmed function. In theory, it should be possible to adjust the coding of the I.S. core and allow males to pilot. In regards to why Ichika can pilot…" he shrugged, "It could be a variety of things, from genetics to the system phasing out the error."

Cecilia was silent for almost a minute before shaking her head, "No, I refuse to believe that it is simply a mistake, and I know exactly how to prove it! We will duel, and I will prove that both you _and_ Orimura have no place being pilots!"

He looked towards to Chifuyu for help, but she was… smiling?

"I'll allow it. In fact, I think it'll be a perfect way to determine the class representative."

This day was not going as he had hoped.

"Alright, then we'll have a three way duel. Stadium 3 should be free on Monday. That should give each of you enough time to prepare."

"Sounds fine by me," Ichika crossed his arms and looked towards Cecilia, "How much of a handicap is there going to be?"

"Oh? Now you're asking me for a handicap? I suppose all you _can_ do is bluster, seeing as your acceptance here was based solely on you being a boy!" Cecilia smiled smugly at him.

"I was asking how much of a handicap I should give _you_."

The class was silent for a moment, and then the girls started laughing.

Hideyoshi frowned, "Should I also provide a handicap, then? I have more combat experience either of you and a more advanced I.S. than Miss Alcott."

 _That_ got everyone's attention, and they stopped laughing to look at him in confusion.

"What!? How could _you_ possibly have a personal I.S.!?" Cecilia took a step back in shock.

He raised an eyebrow, "Due to the fact I am the son of Tabane Shinonono?" She made a strangled noise as the other girls began whispering, "Did… did none of you notice that we share the same family name?"

Cecilia stuttered, and Chifuyu clapped her hands, "Alright, that's enough. Save it for Monday you three."

Cecilia and Ichika glared at each other before taking their seats, and Hideyoshi sighed before doing the same...

* * *

Avoiding the girls on the way to their room was more of a hassle now, but the two of them managed. They were sitting on their beds, a hologram of Cecilia's I.S. between them.

"Ms. Alcott's 'Blue Tears' is armed for long range combat. A laser rifle, four drones that she can deploy equipped with their own laser weaponry, and two missile pods. The missiles can lock on to their target." Hideyoshi pointed to the parts as necessary, and Ichika sighed.

"That's a lot of weapons. Anything else I should know?"

"She doesn't possess any melee weapons. In theory, you should be able to defeat her if you keep her within that range."

"If I can even get that close..." Ichika looked to him, "What about you?"

"My I.S. has both ranged and melee weaponry. I can cover you until you get close enough. After that, I'll forfeit."

Ichika looked surprised, "Why?"

Hideyoshi looked down, "…A number of reasons. I am no leader, for one. For another…I do not like combat. Were it not for mother, I don't believe I would have ever come here."

"…You really hate fighting that much?"

He looked to Ichika and moved the hair covering his forehead away and Ichika winced, "I was not lying when I said I had the most combat experience, Ichika."

Neither of them slept well after that.

* * *

"So, what do you put Alcott's chance of success at?" Chifuyu asked.

"Well, against Ichika, it's hard to say. He doesn't have a lot of skill piloting an I.S. yet, but if he can learn quick enough I'm sure he can come out on top!" Tabane nodded her head.

"What about against Hideyoshi?"

Tabane's smile grew, and she made two 'victory' signs with her fingers, "Zero percent! Total victory for Team Shinonono!"

She wanted to smile at her enthusiasm, but, "…Tabane, Hideyoshi mentioned he had more combat experience than Alcott and Ichika."

She nodded, "Of course! I taught him everything he knows about the I.S.!"

…She wasn't lying, but there was definitely something she wasn't telling her, "…Alright, I'll be sure to tell you how it goes." She hung up, and she leaned back in her chair with a sigh. Tabane wasn't the sort of person to lie without a reason.

She just wished she would tell her what that reason was...

* * *

 **AN:** **I should really make notes or something for when I have to stop writing for a while. Sorry if the chapter seems a bit rushed, might change it later. I know everyone who asked has probably looked it up already, but the perk 'Just Lucky I'm Alive' requires neutral karma, gives you +50% crit. damage, immunity to critical hits, and +4 Luck if you end a fight with less than 25% health. I'll go into the SPECIAL stats next chapter, and for those wondering I chose 'Hideyoshi' as the name b/c someone told me it meant 'excellent luck'. Anyways, I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner than 'soon-ish' this time, hope you enjoy it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**

 **Infinite Stratos is owned by Izuru Yumizuru**

 **Fallout: New Vegas is owned by Bethesda**

* * *

The two boys of the I.S. Academy learned something upon heading to the cafeteria for breakfast.

The girls were _very_ keen on them having a relationship.

The general rumor seemed to be that Hideyoshi was 'fighting to defend Ichika's honor' and to make sure Cecilia Alcott didn't 'steal him away'.

"The girls here are strange." Hideyoshi looked to Ichika, who nodded sagely.

"I know man, I know."

"Oh, really?" Houki asked as she sat beside Ichika, who began to nervously sweat, "You know, I was going to help you train so you don't get your butts handed to you by Alcott, but now I'm not so sure."

"Actually, Hideyoshi offered to help me train-"

"What!?" She shouted, and she looked around Ichika to Hideyoshi.

"This is correct."

"W-well, how do you know he'll be a good teacher?" She shook her head, "No, I'm going to make sure neither of you will embarrass yourselves in the match. So meet me after school, got it?"

Hideyoshi had a feeling that was more of an order than anything…

* * *

"Alright, I have some news," Chifuyu looked to Ichika, "Orimura, your I.S. is still being prepared, but it should be delivered in time for the match."

A shocked whisper ran through the class, leaving Ichika confused, "Is having your own I.S. that big a deal?"

"Personalized I.S. units typically have more advanced, albeit experimental, weaponry and systems." Hideyoshi clarified, "Most likely, it will be the most advanced suit Japan can currently produce."

Ichika smiled, "Wow, that's really-"

"Though, given that its production will most likely be rushed, its effectiveness is dubious," He frowned, "In truth, I would rather have us piloting a mass produced model."

"Oh?" He looked back to Cecilia, who was smiling smugly, "Is someone admitting that their country's technology is lacking?"

"Japan is not the country of my birth," he clarified, "and given that my mother is Tabane Shinonono, I may have a bias towards such things. However, I believe that by using mass produced models, we set ourselves on relatively equal footing."

"I'm afraid that's not happening," he looked back towards Chifuyu, "Orimura's I.S. will be better suited to gather data on him. Understood?"

He nodded despite the corners of his lips quirking downward. This was, ultimately, out of his hands. He'd rather not cause issues with the government given his current _status..._

"Alright then. Miss Yamada, shall we begin?"

The green-haired woman jumped a little, "Oh, y-yes. Everyone, open your textbooks to the page we stopped on last time…"

* * *

Hideyoshi winced as Ichika was knocked to the floor by his aunt. They were in the kendo club's training area, where she was currently testing their skill with blades.

Evidently, Ichika's skill was lacking.

"Okay, what the hell is wrong with you?" She growled.

"W-what do you mean?" Ichika rubbed his head.

"When did you get so damn weak!?"

"Miss Shi-" Hideyoshi was cut off by the tip of the wooden blade stopping an inch from his nose.

"I'll get to _you_ in a minute." She turned back to Ichika, "Were you even in any clubs in middle school?"

"Yeah, I was a proud member of the 'going home' club."

She growled, "Then starting tomorrow, you'll be retraining with me for three hours after school each day!" She whirled her stick back into Hideyoshi's face, "You! On your feet!"

He grabbed the wooden sword at his feet and swapped places with Ichika. He took his old stance for wielding a katana, keeping it at his side and pointed-

"No, no, no! Your stance is all wrong!"

He blinked, "This stance has served me well so far."

She shook her head, "Fine. I'll guess I'll just have to show you."

She swung, and he grabbed his sword with both hands and brought it up to block When her hit connected he shoved her back, and while she was open he hit her on the right shoulder.

"…WHAT!?"

* * *

After another two matches to prove that his win wasn't a fluke, she let the two of them go. They were now in their room, where Hideyoshi was preparing Ichika for his own training.

"This looks a lot safer than Houki's training." Ichika picked up the full body suit Hideyoshi had produced. The upper arms, thighs, and torso were a skin-tight light blue material, and the rest was covered in what looked like armor. There was also a round helmet that looked like it would just leave his mouth free.

"It is. I designed the suit to simulate being inside an I.S. The room is not an ideal place to test you, but it will suffice."

"Okay, so I slip all this on and then what?"

"The suit should automatically seal around your body. Once you put the helmet on, I will run the training program." He slid the room divider out to give Ichika some privacy.

"…"

"…"

 **Psssht**

"Gah!"

"Ichika, are you alright?"

"Fine, just, you really, oof, weren't kidding about this thing sealing me in, were you?" He slid the room divider back before walking into the middle of the room and sliding the helmet on.

"Are you ready, Ichika?" Hideyoshi brought the program up.

"As I'll ever be."

He nodded and started the program. A holographic screen appeared, hovering vertically above his Pip-Boy. It showed the holographic room Ichika now saw from different angles.

"Whoa," Ichika looked down at the 'I.S.' he was piloting, "This is pretty cool."

He smiled, "Thank you. According to mother, I would make _amazing_ video games."

The next few days found Ichika slowly becoming more accustomed to the I.S. and relearning how to fight with a sword. Eventually, the day of the battle came, and Hideyoshi found himself alone in one of the launching platforms. He was staring at the fingerless black glove on his left hand, the silver circle on the back of his hand reflecting the little sunlight shining in.

"Five minute warning, Shinonono." Chifuyu announced over the loudspeaker, and he sighed.

In mother's words, this was going to suck.

He ran his thumb over the back of his glove, and when he blinked he found himself in the desert. A few rocks and ruins jutted from the sand, and as the wind whipped around him he heard a growl.

" **Idiot boy,"** The voice sounded as though the sands had robbed it of all moisture, or if the owner had spent most of their life with a cigarette in their mouth. Still, he could hear the hint of femininity in it.

He sighed and turned, "Hello, Geist."

The woman wore a long, buttoned-up brown trench coat and a black hat with a wide, circular rim. Her tanned face may have been beautiful once, but the left half now bore countless scars. The right side of her mouth was burned to the teeth, whiter and sharper than a normal human's. Her right eye was wrapped in gauze that looped under her hat, leaving the sharp amber of her left eye to glare at him.

" **Have you finally decided to stop hiding?"**

He frowned, "You always ask me that, and I always tell you that I have no idea what you're talking about."

She growled again and narrowed her eye, **"Then leave me, idiot boy."**

"I can't. I'm… participating in a match in a few moments."

Her eye only widened a fraction, but it was enough to show how surprised she was, **"You are fighting another pilot."**

He nodded, "Regrettably, yes."

The wind picked up, whipping up her long, black hair, **"…Perhaps you will finally stop hiding, idiot boy…"**

* * *

Ichika nervously hovered in the air, waiting for Hideyoshi. He didn't want to admit it, but even with all the training he wasn't too sure about his chances.

"Well, it looks like your friend was nothing but a braggart," Cecilia taunted, "Not that it mattered of course. Even if there were ten of you I would still come out on top."

 **BOOM!**

Everyone covered their ears as the massive blast rang out. When the ringing mostly subsided, they all heard a voice over the loudspeaker.

"I assure you, it would have taken only _one,_ Miss Alcott."

Hideyoshi flew up, and Ichika took a good look at his I.S. It… really didn't look like much. The arms and legs were black, as was the armor on his chest. The fingers and 'feet' weren't spiked like theirs, but rounded. His shoulder armor was brown, and they were like teardrops that pointed outwards. There were a bunch of long, brown-painted metal plates attached to his back by mechanical arms, forming a sort of cape. He had a rifle like Cecilia's, but with several rings wrapping around most of the barrel.

"Is this some sort of joke? Even an early Generation 2 looks like it could outclass that mockery of an I.S." Cecilia scowled, "Does it even have a _name_?"

He nodded, "Wasteland Zeitgeist."

" **Attention pilots, match begins in 10 seconds!"** Chifuyu announced over the loudspeaker, and the three of them began circling in the air…

* * *

Cecilia smiled as she waited for the match to begin. Her plan was simple: fire missiles at both of them to force them back. Then she would deploy her drones to further harry them, and when a shot presented itself, she would strike down with righteous fury.

The starting buzzer sounded, and her missile pods rose-

 **BOOM!**

She screamed as the left pod exploded, and she was sent flying. She managed to right herself, and quickly brought her rifle to bear-

 **BOOM!**

The scope on her rifle blew apart.

' _What is happening!?'_ She saw the Shinonono boy raising his rifle, and she immediately began evasive maneuvers. She sent all of her drones, splitting them evenly to go after both her enemies, _'It appears I've underestimated him slightly,'_ the two of them began dealing with their respective drones, _'At least in Shinonono's case.'_

While Ichika appeared to have a bit of trouble fending off the drones, Hideyoshi was quickly taking them out with what looked like an SMG.

' _This wasn't supposed to happen!'_ She raised her rifle, _'I have to eliminate Shinonono now!'_

She fired twice, and while both shots flew true they weren't enough.

She, sadly, would not get the chance to fire another shot.

* * *

Ichika slashed, and the blue shard exploded.

"Alright, that's the last of them," He turned around, "Time to deal with-"

 **BOOM!**

" **Cecilia Alcott is eliminated from the match!"** Ms. Yamada announced, and Ichika looked towards the ground to see the blonde being escorted from the field.

"Well Ichika, it would appear you're to be the class representative." Hideyoshi flew up next to him.

"Yeah." Ichika looked down at his blade, "…Hideyoshi?"

"Yes, Ichika?"

"I want you to fight me."

"…Pardon?"

"I want you to fight me!" Ichika turned to him, "I want to know that- WHOA!"

He barely managed to bring his blade up to block the purple axe head, and it was only lifted for a second before crashing down again. Ichika angled his sword so the axe slid away, and he tried to slash Hideyoshi. The blond dodged backwards and tossed his axe towards Ichika, who leaned out of the way. Another axe appeared in his hands, and the two were locking blades again.

"Got to… admit…" Ichika grunted, "Surprised… you didn't just… shoot me!"

Hideyoshi said nothing, and Ichika felt something was… off. He blinked, and he saw Hideyoshi's face was blank. He didn't have that small frown he usually did, and his eyes were wide open as they locked onto Ichika. Before he could observe anymore, Hideyoshi _flipped_ overhead, and Ichika found himself falling forward. Something slammed into his shoulder, and as he fell with his back to the ground he saw Hideyoshi bearing down on him. From there he was beaten faster and faster towards the ground, and when he finally smacked into the ground he was holding the back of his sword with his off hand to hold off the axe head pressing down on him.

' _He's too strong! I-I can't beat him! Why? Why did I want to-"_

" **Did you hear? The Brunhilde gave up her career because of her brother."**

" **Hmph. Figures that a weak boy would bring down the Brunhilde's career."**

" **Wow, Orimura's actually really weak, huh?"**

" **Yeah, Shinonono knocked him to the ground in seconds."**

" **Having a boy such as Orimura as class representative would be shameful!"**

"…No."Ichika growled and began pushing back, "I know I was weak, but never again! I'll win this fight," he rose a few inches, ignoring the warning screens appearing in the corner of his vision, "and I'll get stronger! I won't…" He managed to get into a kneeling position, "…drag Chifuyu down again!"

Suddenly, Ichika was enveloped in a golden light, and he shut his eyes. When the light died down, he opened his eyes to see he was standing and clashing blades with Hideyoshi. Several screens appeared in front of him.

"So this is 2nd Shift, huh?" He looked at his energy blade, "And this, the Yukihira Nigata, my sister's sword. Alright," he smiled, "let's do-"

Ichika blinked as he heard a guitar from behind, and a screen popped up, showing something hovering behind him. It was a silver ball with long rods coming out the back, and a… claw in the front?

 **PEW!**

"Oof!" Ichika hit the floor of the arena as his I.S. suddenly disappeared from the ball's blue laser.

"" **Ichika Orimura is eliminated from the match! Hideyoshi Shinonono wins!"** Ms. Yamada announced, and Ichika sighed.

"…Geez, take the wind right out of my sails, why don't you?" He looked up at Hideyoshi, who was still blank-faced, "…Hideyoshi?"

The blond said nothing, and flew off back to the launch platform…

* * *

His eyes were closed, but he knew she was smiling, a dark, predatory thing. Her left arm wrapped across his chest, pinning his arms. It was almost burning hot compared to the cold barrel of the 9mm pistol she was rubbing against his right arm 'lovingly'. He heard the distinct sound of a hammer being pulled and the barrel of a revolver was pressed under his chin. When he didn't react she growled into his left ear.

" **Do not ignore me."**

He said nothing, and she continued.

" **You can't hide idiot boy, not anymore!"** Her words were angry and loud, but she dropped into an almost-sweet whisper, **"You know what must be, what was, what will."**

Her teeth grazed his ear lightly, and chill came over him. He opened his eyes to see the metal walls of the launch platformaround him. He sighed and made his way to the door.

Why were the women in his life crazy?

The door slid open to reveal both Orimura's and Ms. Yamada.

"Hideyoshi, are you-" Ichika tried to step forward, but Chifuyu's arm shot out to block him. They all looked towards the frowning woman, who was staring hard at Hideyoshi.

"…Are you alright?" She asked, and he brought up his Pip-Boy.

"…I don't appear to have sustained any injuries."

She continued to stare at him until she lowered her arm, "Alright then." She turned around and started walking away, "Congratulations, Class Representative Shinonono."

He said nothing as she left and Ms. Yamada quickly went with her. He could deal with that at a later point. He started walking back towards his room, and Ichika met his pace. It was when they had dressed into their school clothes that Ichika finally said something.

"…You're not alright, are you?"

He stopped, and he looked towards Ichika, "Pardon?"

"When we were fighting, it was like you weren't there."

He frowned, "I don't follow."

"It's like, hmm," Ichika crossed his arms, "it's like you weren't the one fighting."

"…I am fine, Ichika." He tried for a smile, but Ichika just frowned deeper.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"…I know, Mr. Orimura."

That doesn't mean he _would_.

* * *

Cecilia stood in the shower, the warm water pouring over her doing nothing to help her thoughts. Orimura was… brave. Very brave. He didn't back down when she challenged him, and he faced Shinonono without any hesitation. Shinonono himself was incredibly strong and fierce...

Despite the heat, she felt herself shiver.

* * *

Night came and went, and in the morning the class was gathered outside for drills. As Ichika and Cecilia were called forward, Hideyoshi allowed his mind to wander.

'… _Why_ _ **are**_ _the practice uniforms designed this way? It's not as though the armor completely seals around the body, and the shield would protect clothes from being torn or dirtied. Case and point, Ichika and I have shirts and pants-'_

A white and blue form crashed into the ground, and he shook his head as he moved towards the crater. His aunt called out Ichika's name and met him at the edge of the crater, where Ichika was trying to pull his head out of the ground. She sighed, and he slid into the crater as Ichika extracted himself.

"How did you manage this?" He offered his hand, and Ichika took it.

"Hey, we didn't cover power dives in your training!"

"Still, you should have-"

"Ichika dear, are you alright!?"

Hideyoshi frowned as he saw Cecilia slide into the crater and walk up to Ichika. Why on Earth would-

"No, I'm alright, really."

He looked in shock towards Ichika, whose warm smile turned into a confused frown.

"Wait a minute, 'Ichika dear'?"

"Oh thank goodness," Cecilia let out a sigh of relief and looked towards Hideyoshi, "You will make sure to take him to the nurse, won't you?"

He said nothing, and she took a nervous step back.

The class went on as normal from then, and Ichika and Hideyoshi were getting changed in the locker room.

"…You know, you were kind of rude to Cecilia earlier." Ichika looked over to Hideyoshi, who sent him a confused look.

"All things considered, Ichika, I gave the appropriate response."

"Look, you can't just keep hating someone forever-"

"I don't hate Ms. Alcott. I don't _trust_ her."

"Why not?"

"Ichika, have you forgotten how she acted?" Hideyoshi frowned.

"No, but I'm willing to forgive her. You can't hold onto stuff like this. I'm willing to let it go, and so is Cecilia, apparently. So why can't you?"

"…Ichika, I don't…"

"You don't…?"

The blonde looked down at the floor, "…I don't understand. Why are you forgiving her, why did you want to fight, it, it doesn't make any _sense_."

Ichika's frown softened, "Hideyoshi, it-" the bell signaling the end of class rang, "Oh man. Look, we'll talk about this later, okay?"

The blonde said nothing, and the two didn't talk for the rest of the day. Though the two became more and more anxious as the day went on, Hideyoshi especially so.

The surprise party didn't help.

Hideyoshi stopped himself from grimacing as the party-poppers fired off and his dinner was decorated with confetti. He looked to his right at a confused Ichika, his scowling aunt, and a smiling Cecilia. He looked back at his meal and began to remove the confetti as the girls began congratulating Ichika.

' _Why would you prepare a party for your enemy… Saving face, most likely. I recall something similar by the NCR during an ambassadorial visit. Forgiving me for past 'transgressions' then trying to slip something into my dri-'_

"So Hideyoshi," he looked up to see the girls smiling at him, a brown-haired girl with glasses and camera at the front, "the school's been dying to know a bit more about you. Any chance you can answer a few questions?"

"…I don't see why not."

"Excellent! Let's start with the one on everyone's mind. Are you dating anyone? If not, what qualities do you look for in a girlfriend?"

He frowned, and the girls waited with baited breath.

"I am not dating anyone. As for qualities… I am unsure. I've never been attracted to someone."

The girls all looked confused and gave a simultaneous 'huh?'

"Before I lived with mother, the area I lived in didn't have the concept of dating, or even much of romance. You were either married or having intercourse. There was no in-between. Even then, most just paid a prostitute for the latter and the former wasn't usually a major event. You knew two people were married by them telling you."

The girls turned into a mix of blushing faces, whispers, and pitying looks. Ichika looked concerned, but he couldn't discern the looks on Cecilia and his aunt's faces.

"…I suppose if I were to select someone to date from those I've met, Ms. Yamada would be the most likely candidate. She is intelligent, kind, and I find her mannerisms to be… endearing, I believe is the term."

As most of the girls began whispering (' _How are we supposed to compete with a figure like that!?'_ ), a tall girl with long black hair stepped forward.

"You know, I can teach you a thing or two about loving." She winked at him, and suddenly he found himself under a barrage of similar offers…

* * *

After managing to escape the party, the two were now sitting on their beds facing each other.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…I'm sorry." They said in unison, and they looked at each other in confusion.

"What are _you_ apologizing for Hideyoshi? I shouldn't have forced you to fight, and I shouldn't have expected you to just give Cecilia a chance like nothing happened." Ichika frowned.

"Yes, but I should know better than to hold onto things such as this," the blonde looked away, "and… I have to remember that she is not an enemy, that this isn't a battle."

They sat in silence for a moment before Ichika smiled and held out a hand.

"How about this? If I promise to not force you into anything you don't want to do, you promise to try and get along with Cecilia."

Hideyoshi looked to the hand before hooking his pinky around Ichika's, "Very well."

Ichika laughed nervously, "Pinky swear, huh?"

"Mother seems to like using it." His Pip-Boy flashed, "Speaking of which."

He pressed on it, and Tabane's hologram appeared.

"It's ready it's ready it's ready-"

Hideyoshi laughed a little, "I know mother, I know."

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Her hologram turned to face Ichika, "Close your eyes, Ikkun!"

He smiled and did so, "Alright."

"Okay, three, two, one!"

There was a flash, and Ichika opened his eyes. In Hideyoshi's lap was a white Pip-Boy, a bit sleeker than Hideyohi's. The blonde reached out and took the hand with Byakushiki's closed form on it. The bottom of the Pip-Boy opened up, and the blonde slid it onto Ichika's forearm.

"Wow, it's thinner than I expected. Longer, too."

"It used to be much bulkier, but I had more than enough time to work on it."

"Did Tabane help you with it?"

"No, though she always offered. The last thing I wished for was mother to play with it and have it explode in her face."

"I'd think she'd be bit more careful than that."

"Oh I wouldn't mind Hideyoshi's stuff exploding in my face." Tabane giggled, "I mean, a mother has to take care of her son, right?"

"I'm sorry mother, but you're a bit too… _energetic,_ and I wanted to-"

 **SLAM!  
** "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING IN HERE!?"

They looked towards the door where Houki was breathing heavily. Behind her was Cecilia, blushing fiercely. Tabane started laughing hard, and Houki started getting embarrassed. There was a noise from the Pip-Boy, and Hideyoshi looked back towards it.

"It's done."

"Don't just ignore me!" Houki shouted.

"I am giving Ichika the gift I intended to give him after he became class representative." Hideyoshi answered as Ichika looked at the screen, "Do you require something?"

"Ooh, ooh, I know!" Tabane raised her hand, "She wanted to pronounce her love-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Houki shouted.

"Oh, hey, why don't we check out what this thing can do, huh?" Ichika chuckled nervously, trying to defuse the situation. It seemed to work as all eyes focused on him, "Like, uh, oh! What's this special thing?"

"It's an acronym. Strength, perception, endurance, charisma, intelligence, agility, and luck are represented by numbers," Hideyoshi clicked on the tab, "Five is considered average, one and ten are the minimum and maximum respectively, and a 'plus' or 'minus' symbol shows that the attribute is being augmented."

"Okay, so my strength is five, my perception is… three!?"

"Sounds about right," Houki mumbled.

"Perhaps you need glasses?" Hideyoshi offered.

"No, my eyesight's fine. My endurance is eight, so, what, I can run for a long time?"

"Actually, it means you're very durable, very healthy. You won't be getting sick anytime soon."

"Awesome. My charisma is eight too, intelligence is five, agility five, and luck is… huh?"

"What is it?"

"Well it says five, but it's got a plus and minus next to it."

Hideyoshi frowned and took Ichika's arm. He saw Ichika's Luck and pressed down on it. To the side a box of text appeared.

" **It's a matter of perspective, really."**

"What the heck does that mean?" Ichika looked to Hideyoshi, who was just as confused.

"I'm entirely not sure. I thought I was the only one who…" He shook his head, "A worry for another time. Anything else you wish to go over?"

"No, most of this stuff seems pretty clear. Hey, what are your stats like?"

Hideyoshi pressed on Tabane's hologram and moved it to the side before pressing on the tab. Bar intelligence and luck at 10, the other stats were at six.

"Huh, they're all boosted."

"I have implants that do so, and a few miscellaneous others."

"Wait, I thought you were afraid of doctors?"

Hideyoshi winced, "This was before then."

Ichika hummed, and as he started using his Pip-Boy Hideyoshi looked towards their guests.

"My question from before still stands."

Houki opened her mouth, but Cecilia beat her to it.

"Well you see, I noticed Ichika dear was having some trouble during our match. So I decided to offer him the chance to learn from a professional." She put her hands on her hips and closed her eyes with a smug smile on her face.

"Hold on, Ichika already has training with me!" She glared at the boy in question, "Which you missed, by the way!"

"Gah! I'm sorry!"

"Oh, don't worry, you'll be making up the time tomorrow!"

"Hold on just one moment, Ichika is going to be training with me!"

As Cecilia and Houki argued Hideyoshi felt a chill down spine. He looked down, and while Tabane looked calm, he could see something in her eyes…

* * *

Chifuyu watched the footage again, only stopping to examine Hideyoshi's face. She stared for a moment before leaning back in her chair. The school counselors rarely had any of the students come to them, thankfully, but this may be the first time she'd send a student to them… Was that what Tabane wanted? Did she send him here because she trusted her to make sure the counselors were trustworthy?

 **Knock-knock-knock**

"Who is it?"

"The White Rabbit."

" **And the March Hare!"**

She rolled her eyes, speak of the devils.

"Come on in."

The door opened, and the two approached.

"We humbly invite you for tea." Hideyoshi said with a small smile.

"In celebration of your unbirthday!" Tabane cheered, and Chifuyu felt herself cracking a smile.

"And here I was thinking that Hideyoshi had mellowed you out. Also, wouldn't you two be more like Alice and the Cheshire Cat?" Thanks to Tabane, she had the story practically burned into her brain.

"Ooh, I could get some kitty ears, and a bushy tail! Hmm, now what would Hideyoshi wear?"

The boy in question sent a look towards Chifuyu, and she took the hint, "What were you saying about a tea party?"

"Oh, well Hideyoshi thought, since I was here anyways, that we should get together!"

She looked towards him, and she saw that he actually looked somewhat relaxed. In class, he was always straight-backed, alert to everything around him. Right now, he was smiling, his shoulders were slack, and his eyes seemed brighter than normal.

"…You know what?" She shut down her computer, "I wouldn't mind a break right about now."

"Yay! I'll be right over!"

"Wait, what do you-"

There was a blue flash, and she dodged out of the way of Tabane's attempted hug. The scientist went over her desk and flipped off of her hands into a pose.

"Ta-da!"

…Oh dear God, she was never going to have a moment of privacy again, was she?

* * *

 **AN : ****I'm not even going to** _ **try**_ **to excuse myself on this one. I'm just going to leave it here and hope it's enough. I'll try to go into a bit more detail about his I.S. next time**

 **FateLover: The notes thing came from when I realized that the companions had quests, and found myself freaking writing down everything the npc's said because f*ck it, I didn't know who was going to be a companion! I didn't know when I was going to have to go 'okay what Boone's favorite color?'**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**

 **Infinite Stratos is owned by Izuru Yumizuru**

 **Fallout: New Vegas is owned by Bethesda**

* * *

Hideyoshi stifled a yawn as he made his way to class. The 'tea party' lasted longer than expected, but it was good to see his parents having fun.

…

…

He stopped, and it took him a few seconds before he started walking again. Where had that come from? Tabane was his mother, yes, but he didn't really see Chifuyu all that often… Perhaps that was it? Chifuyu was the 'father', the one who was always at work. He supposed it made sense that he would mentally assign the only other adult he had contact with to that role, a sign of his adaptation…

…Or maybe he should stop watching the anime Tabane suggested.

When he got to his classroom, he saw a girl with pigtails standing next to the door, her eyes closed and a smile on her face. It looked like the face Cecilia made last night.

"Hello. Are you a new student?"

She jolted in shock, her eyes flying open.

"Uh, Hideyoshi?" He looked towards Ichika, "Who are you talking to?"

"He's talking to me," the girl moved past him, "Class 2's representative and China's Representative Contender, Rin Huang!"

"No way," Ichika stood, "Rin, is that really you?"

"That's right, and I've come to declare war!"

Hideyoshi was starting to wonder if the I.S. was having some sort of detrimental effect on people's minds.

* * *

After a quick explanation from Ichika, the three of them were having lunch. Although, 'Rin' seemed to be acting like he wasn't here. That was fine, he wouldn't beget two childhood friends their reunion. Though, he was starting to wonder about the dress code here. It didn't go into much detail, but he noticed a few girls here and there with modified outfits. Maybe he should do something? A badge or a patch of some so-

Cecilia and his aunt slammed their hands on the table. What followed was whirl of emotions that he felt… uncomfortable with. It really seemed the girls were being hostile for no reason.

"Excuse me?" All eyes turned to him, "I'm not entirely sure why you're all upset-"

"This girl is acting much too friendly with Ichika!" Cecilia exclaimed.

"I, I don't understand, how is she being too friendly?"

"Of course you don't understand." His aunt sighed, "Listen, you two are too dense to get it, so just butt out!"

The lunch bell rang before they could continue, and as everyone began heading to class Hideyoshi lagged behind a bit. His aunt… had a point. He really didn't understand people, did he? His only real social interaction was with his mother and Chifuyu.

' _And as much as I love Tabane, she's hardly average… Perhaps, I should speak to more people?'_

* * *

Cecilia took down notes, stealing glances every so often at the two boys of the Academy. It felt as though Fate was mocking her, putting what she desired so close yet so far away, and tossing yet _another_ rival in her way. Still, she was never one to shy away from adversity, especially when the prizes were so _very_ worth it. The break bell rang, and she got up to-

"Excuse me, Miss Alcott?"

She blinked in surprise as Hideyoshi approached, "Oh, yes, Hideyoshi?"

"Is it alright if I speak with you in your room later tonight?"

The others began whispering as she screamed inside, "O-of course! Will 5:30 do?"

"That is fine, thank you."

The day couldn't pass fast enough for her then. Her roommate was out for the day, thankfully, and she had more than enough time to prepare. A few tasteful scented candles, her best bathrobe to cover up her best unmentionables, and all that was left was to wait.

' _5:25. Only a few more minutes until-'_

 **Knock-Knock-Knock**

"Come in~!" She called out, trying to keep herself from sounding too eager. Hideyoshi entered, and he looked around for a moment before bowing.

"Thank you for seeing me, Ms. Alcott."

"Oh please, Cecilia is just fine. Now," she patted the space beside her on her bed, "don't be shy. Come, and we'll get started."

"Oh, no thank you. This will only take a few moments."

"Er, what?"

"I've decided to try and converse with more people. I realize that I lack some social skills, but I hope to rectify that."

"You... only wanted to talk?"

"Correct."

Cecilia's mood seemed to shift then, but she still helped him in his request. It was… slow going, at first. He had to explain that he'd never really spoke to anyone bar Chifuyu and Tabane, and recently, Ichika. Still, he came away with a few interesting suggestions. He should talk to Cecilia more… and his aunt. His aunt didn't seem as though she would be speaking to him anytime soon, but-

Rin ran past him, his aunt following shortly after. He blinked, and when he got to his room he saw a confused with a red handprint on his face.

Ichika's explanation involving sweet-amd-sour pork did not clarify much.

* * *

The next day was Sunday, and Ichika had gone to visit another friend while he experimented. Nothing major, working on medicines, chems, nutrient pastes, etc. He knew it would be difficult introducing the products under just the Shinonono name, but-

There was a knock at the door, and he opened it to the girl who wanted to interview him.

"Hi there! I don't know if you remember me-"

"You wished to interview me, before I was buried beneath the girl's… _requests_."

She smiled, "Right! Well, I was wondering if we could continue our interview."

He shrugged, "I see no reason not to." He stepped aside, and after she entered he moved to the materials on his desk.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, no, nothing that requires major attention." He lifted a beaker of blue paste, giving it a once-over before spooning some out onto a pot of dirt.

"So, tell me about yourself. Likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, ooh, what are your parents like?"

He held a lighter to the paste, "Well, my hobbies involve experiments across the sciences, gardening, and cooking, I dislike most insects, and my mother is… most likely the nicest person you will ever meet."

"Oh? What about your father?"

"Tabane adopted me. I do not remember my birth parents, either." The paste began to bubble, but after a moment it went flat. He heard a scribbling noise, and assumed she was taking notes.

"…If you don't mind me asking, what was life like before you were adopted?"

He hummed, and searched for his green paste, "I do not mind you asking, but I am choosing not to answer. My past is that: mine, and in the past."

She made a noise, "Well then, what about your I.S.? What's the story behind its name?"

"'Zeitgeist: the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time'." He found the paste and placed a small amount on the blue, "Anachronism is what defined the wasteland. Revolvers and throwing spears one moment, laser and plasma weaponry the next. She is a blend of past, present, and future technologies."

The scribbling stopped, then started again, "'She'?"

"Yes. The A.I. in my I.S. is fully realized, and it chose to be female."

"Interesting… I'm sorry, but what exactly are you doing?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm trying to out a new soil nutrient. In theory, it should make the plants glow." He used his lighter on the pastes, and after a moment a small jalapeno plant grew. It looked… normal. He plucked one of the peppers and cut it open, revealing its blue insides. He cupped his hand around it, and he saw a faint blue glow, "Well, not a failure per se."

The interview was fairly mundane from there. She left after a few minutes, his experiments finishing shortly after.

'… _Well, what do I do know?'_ He looked around the room, _'I sup-'_

 **Knock-Knock-Knock**

He opened the door to see his aunt and Cecilia, "Hello. How may I help you two?" He stepped aside, and the two entered.

"Is Ichika dear not around?" Cecilia took a seat on said boy's bed.

"He went to visit a friend."

"'Friend'!?" The girls shouted at once.

"Yes, I believe his name was Dan." They sighed in relief, and he continued, "What do you need him for?"

"I merely wished to see if he wanted to spend the day." Cecilia smiled, and he looked to his aunt, who blushed.

"I-I just had some questions for him."

"Well, I could call him if you wish."

"No, no, I understand that boys need to speak with other boys. Speaking of, why are you here?" Cecilia tilted her head.

"I was performing a few experiments, had an interview with someone from the newspaper club, and… well, now I'm trying to decide what I should do next. Perhaps you two would like to have some tea?"

"Oh, that would be delightful!"

His aunt sighed, "Well, I'm already here."

After quickly preparing their drinks, he found himself realizing something.

"…you each have long hair." He saw their confusion, "Each of Ichika's friends seems to have long hair."

"Hmm, maybe he prefers long hair?" Cecilia said absently, but after a moment the girls seemed to have a realization, "Hideyoshi, dear, what does Ichika say about us?"

"Pardon?"

"Does he talk about us a lot!?" His aunt was suddenly close to him, as was Cecilia.

"We, talk an average amount?" They kept staring at him, "We usually talk about you, Aunt Houki."

Cecilia crossed her arms as they leaned back, Houki smiling, "He talks about me?"

"I usually ask him about you."

"…What."

"I ask him what you like and dislike."

"Why in the world would you need to know that?"

"I… want to talk to you. I want to know my aunt more."

She looked uncomfortable, and after a moment she made her way towards the door, "I have something to do…"

The door closed, and silence took over. Hideyoshi tapped his fingers against his cup.

"…Cecilia?"

"Ah, yes?"

"Is Blue Tears male or female?"

* * *

The day came and went, and Ichika seemed happy that he'd taken the time to speak to the girls. He'd chosen not to watch Ichika's match, and was sitting on their room's balcony, thinking.

'… _Does… does she hate me? I don't think I've done anything, but she-'_

 **BOOM**

He looked to the arena, and the plume of smoke rising from it…


End file.
